OF NORTH CAROLINA. 185 



clriefest part of this country is a deep, rich, black 

 mould, which is up towards the freshes and heads 

 of our rivers, being very rich and mixed with 

 flint, pebbles, and other stones. And this sort of 

 soil is approved of by all knowing gardners and 

 vigneroons, as a proper earth, in which the grape 

 chiefly delights ; and what seems to give farther 

 confirmation hereof, is that the largest vines that 

 were ever discovered to grow wild, are found in 

 those parts, oftentimes in such plenty, and are so 

 interwoven with one another, that tis impossible 

 to pass through them. Moreover, in these freshes, 

 towards the hills, the vines are above five times 

 bigger than those generally with us, who are seat- 

 ed in the front parts of this country, adjoining to 

 the salts. Of the wild vines, which are most of 

 them great bearers, some wine has been made, 

 which 1 drank of. It was very strong and well rel- 

 ished, but what detains them all from offering at 

 great quantities, they add, that this grape has a 

 large stone, and a thick skin, and consequently 

 yields but a small quantity of wine. Some essays 

 of this nature have been made by that honorable 

 knight, sir Nathaniel Johnson, in South Carolina, 

 who, as I am informed, has rejected all exotic 

 vines, and makes his wine from the natural black 

 grape of Carolina, by grafting it upon its own 

 stock. What improvement this may arrive to I 

 cannot tell ; but in other species, I own grafting 

 and imbudding yields speedy fruit, though I never 

 found that it made them better. 



